Love Doesn't Conquer All
by Emma Raye
Summary: Sakura made a difficult choice. It really had started off well. It's not that she doesn't love him, but sometimes love just isn't enough.


A/N: I haven't written SasuSaku in ages. So, here's an angsty piece of them. It's for Naruto Fic Group's Reverse Challenge. (I had to write a fic in reverse essentially).

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"Let's just sign the papers." It's all Sakura can muster as she looks down at her tea cup. The legal office is colder than it was before when she was raging in her furies.

Today, it stinks of hopes and dreams lost in the wind. There's a scent of rotting and decaying relationships – something like burnt flowers and strong perfume. The stained-glass windows are strangely appropriate, offering the only hope in the room. They speak of a light and hope after leaving this place. A light and hope Sakura can only hope for.

Sakura picks up the pen, and it might just be the heaviest one she's ever held. She signs her papers, her signature thin and light – a part of her holding back.

"Yeah."

Sasuke takes the pen from the middle of the table. There's a small furrow in his brow, maybe he senses the heaviness as well. Who really knows anymore? It's not like they've had a real conversation in months.

Sasuke's pen dances across the paper and he pushes it toward the single lawyer in the room. There was no need for two. They weren't going to fight over assets or alimony. It was better to just do it quietly – half and half on what they made together and taking back what they came in with. Not that they had much at all – travelers travel light for a reason.

Sakura pushes herself up from the table, pushes in her chair and leaves for the door. She doesn't bother to thank the lawyer who is grinning. Who grins at the end of something like this? A sicko, that's who. She doesn't bid him farewell either as she exits.

It seems Sasuke has a similar idea, she doesn't hear the door close behind her and his footsteps are heavy a few paces back.

The lobby door opens with a jingle and the crisp air hits her. Sakura closes her eyes, sucking it in. Sasuke stands next to her and takes her hand. It's not unwelcome, but she can feel her eyes starting to burn and it's not just the wind. He gives her hand a small squeeze and she clenches back.

"Take care." It's all he says before turning and fading into the crowds.

He's always been so good at leaving.

And his tendencies to walk away are really what lead to this point. She tried, she tried so hard, but when he left the village one time and she didn't feel despair - she knew. Sakura knew she loved Sasuke with every fiber of her being, but it didn't matter.

He was sucking her dry. The leaving and cold shoulder eventually apologized with the warm welcome and sweet words. The rollercoaster was making her numb. She had gotten off of the coaster the third time he left. She couldn't feel those feelings anymore. So, she smiled when he left and smiled when he came.

She didn't bother to cry, or sulk. She didn't bother to miss him and she didn't bother to rejoice his return.

And he didn't bother to notice.

For someone so observant in battle Sasuke was oblivious to all things romance. Their first anniversary had been a disaster. He had told her no plans. He didn't bother to tell her to take off work, or ask what she wanted to do.

Their anniversary rolled around and she ended up waking up for work, leaving him a sweet note on the table for when he awoke. Maybe they would celebrate when she got home, or he'd send her something at work.

But no flowers arrived, and he wasn't even home when she finally made it back from a grueling shift. Dinner wasn't made, save for cold leftovers in the fridge, and he hadn't even bothered to make the bed when he left.

When he finally came home that night Sakura didn't wait for him to get his shoes off before yelling about how inconsiderate he was. His eyes had widened as he rustled through his cloak and held out a box.

It held a necklace for her, with a simple emerald pendant that brought out her eyes. Apparently, he had planned an outing for that weekend, knowing she hated missing work.

He could be considerate.

Like when he took dance classes for her for their wedding. He knew how to dance, he had insisted. He was part of a noble clan and basic dancing was par for the course, but Sakura had insisted on them learning a routine together.

The classes had been fun, truly. They laughed together and turns out Sakura had two left feet. Sasuke did pretty well considering the last time he danced he was seven.

Their instructor had called them 'one of the happiest couples he'd seen in ages'

Because their chemistry really was undeniable.

The proposal had been inevitable and a long time in coming. Sasuke wanted to wait until spring, though, since it was her favorite season. And the weather had to be perfect. A picnic by the creek with her favorite foods was enough to tip her off. But when she turned around from wading in the creek, and saw him on one knee she still cried.

Because they were perfect together. She was a bright as the sun, and he as dark as the moon. Their relationship was balanced and full of passion.

They loved each other more than anything. But sometimes, circumstances and paths in life get in the way. Sometimes love doesn't conquer all.

Sakura let a few tears flow from her eyes and took a deep breath, turning to head home.

Sometimes love doesn't conquer all, and you know what?

That's okay.

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Despite it being short and sad, I hope ya'll enjoyed. For some reason writing in present tense lent well to this (I usually exclusively use past), so I hope that change of pace was different. Let me know what you think in the reviews!

Thanks for reading!


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